Japan Day 11 - 13 Feb 2016

Woke up early this morning and headed toward Haneda Airport via the Yamanote line (transfer at Shinagawa).  My first trip which I skipped Shinagawa while visiting Tokyo!  A nice change for sure ;)

'Golden' eggs for breakfast

After checking in 36kg worth of luggages (yes, ANA allows you to check in 2 luggages at 23kg each!), it was exploring the airport again and find a breakfast place.  Funny enough, it was tough to find a restaurant that sells Japanese food.  Most of them were selling western breakfast instead.  Well, settled for the least appetizing ramen of the trip, but then again it's the airport and I usually do not have high hopes for airport dining.

Oh, and also more last minute shopping at at 7-11 where I managed to buy several flavours of KitKat!  In Japan, they have countless flavours including Sake, Green Tea, Sakura, Wine, Cheese, Strawberry Cheese Cake and even Wasabi!  I reckon I had purchased around 7 different flavours during this trip, but I must also note that these were not the full collection!

playing around at the airport

Upon passing through the customs, more duty free shopping, with picking up Hokkaido chocolate biscuits and marinated scallops before boarding the flight back.

Food on board was again uninspiring with 2 huge lumps of rice.  It was rather tasteless with unimaginative sides.  The entertainment was bland that I had to watch TV concert shows!  Well, I guessed I was too pampered!

All in all, a great trip with 9 onsen and 2 sento visits, great food, saw snow and snowing as well!  I will return to the Land of the Rising Sun really soon!! 

Japan Day 10 - 12 Feb 2016

Woke up naturally this morning and cracked open some onsen eggs purchases from the supermarket the night before.  It looked like Yakun's soft boiled eggs, except the eggs were very good quality, and every one of those eggs cooked uniformly!  A yummy way to start the day!

After gobbling down the eggs, it was straight to Tsujiki Fish Market, the largest of its kind in the world.  I was here exactly a year ago where I suffered from high fever and extreme fatigue and hence did not enjoy myself.  This time round, it was an all new experience where I got to immerse myself in the fishy business of the market.  First up, to find a sushi shop and start queuing.  The popular ones (those names with 大 characters are supposedly all popular) were already filled and not accepting any new customers.  Still, I had to wait for an hour at the store with relatively shorter queue.

But first, getting a strawberry mochi to accompany my long wait.  This was the same store I bought last year, and was exactly as tasty with plum juicy strawberry, velvety red bean paste and super soft whit mochi exterior.  A great perk me up during the hour long wait!

Finally, the moment to enter the store, and both feeling hungry and with anticipation.  Dishes ordered were a bowl of seasonal sushi don, sea urchin sashimi done in 3 ways (salted, original and flamed), a whitish looking sashimi that looked either like fish intestines or sperm but oh so soft and creamy, salmon and roe combi sushi, large sweet prawn sushi, otoro sushi and a very interesting salmon fat sushi.  The most memorable ones were probably the Uni and salmon fat.  The Uni, which was in season, just melted in the mouth and flavoured the entire throat with creamy richness of sweetness.  It was tasty for all 3 ways of preparation, and I could still remember the taste as I was writing this down!  The salmon fat, now that was a new thing to me.  I had initially thought it would be salmon belly, but it turned out to be pure fat and no meat!  The fat was gently flame-grilled with some char at the edges and had a distinctive flavour some scent.  When put into the mouth, the fat immediately melted into the rice and the fresh sweetness of salmon could be savoured.  This was probably the main highlight of my most expensive meal of this trip!

After the sushi meal, it was time to walk off the guilt, with an interesting stroll of the Tsujiki market.  Of course, with so many stores selling on the go food, one could never be able to resist trying some.  Hence, a scallop shell that was topped with freshly grilled large scallop, a plum fresh oyster and a dollop of sweet Uni, and then flame-grilled for extra sweetness.  The freshness and sweetness were beyond words as I slowly enjoyed every bite of this JPY 1000 snack.

Another snack I had was grilled unagi, which is essentially grilled eel meat.  This is a very typical Japanese dish and I was having it on a stick without the rice.  As it was pipping hot, it tasted great and fantastic.  Of course, I also had the usual free samples along the way.  This is probably the place in Tokyo to be able to get full just by eating samples!

You could never not buy anything here as well, with things so fresh and abundance in variety.  In comparison, Sydney Fish Market (2nd largest in the world) was pretty and orderly with limited variety.  I bought a box of crunchy prawn crackers, marinated scallops, black garlic (at a faction of Singapore's price), and seaweed.  And this was after undergoing heavy deliberation to restrain my purchases! 

After the purchases, it was a stroll towards nearby Ginza district.  Along the way, I found my cheese ice cream again!  Well, with a slight variation.  This time it was cheese cake ice cream, so there were bits of cakes embedded all over.  However, it still tasted divine with the richness of the creamy cheese and vanilla ice cream mixed in perfect proportion.  How apt to have the cheese ice cream again on the last day in Japan!  (I had cheese ice cream on my first day in Yugawara).

The walk towards Ginza was only to soak in some of the glitz before taking a metro back to Shinjuku for some last minute shopping at Uniqlo and MUJI.  Back to the apartment to drop off all the shopping before heading back to Shimiyuzu Onsen, by now my favorite onsen in Tokyo.  This time would be the first time I was there when the sky was still lit.  Surprisingly, there was still a sizable crowd there.  Where did they come from???  I spent another wonderful hour soaking in the black water, soy water, and the brown sea water.  It was so therapeutic 

After onsen, it was yet another round of last minute shopping in the vicinity.  For some strange reasons, things here were much cheaper than the rest of Tokyo, even cheaper than Chiba (according to my local colleagues).  I stocked up on sparking alcohol, snacks, fruits, masks and other items before heading back to Shinjuku.

Once at Shinjuku, it was almost a mad dash as I headed towards Takashimaya to purchase some Fancl products for my sister. Why mad dash? Cos Takashimaya closes at 8.30pm on Fridays, and it was already 8pm!  After grabbing the items and claiming the tax refund, another mad dash to the basement to pick up my dinner items.  Even though it was near closing hour, all the staff was so polite and gracious, they guided me to the section I wanted to, and even recommended me to get food from another stall if they had ran out!

my takeaway dinner, not too shabby at all!

Well, after all the running about, I still managed to soldier through and explored 7 levels of Tokyu Hands and got some gift items as well!  After that, it was a brisk walk back to the apartment and ready myself for a late dinner.  And I was rather proud of myself for transforming a takeaway into something that looked like restaurant serving :)

It was some final packing up to do before heading to bed. 

Japan Day 9 - 11 Feb 2016

After a long day at Nikko, today was another late morning day.  It was a walk in an almost deserted Shinjuku, wondering around to find a place for brunch.  Eventually, it was settled at the place which sells fried beef.  For many days, I had witnessed snaking queues that lasted for hours.  This time round, I was early enough to be the 7th in the queue.  And it was really an early wait as it turned out to be 1 hour before the shop opened!  However, all the waiting was worthwhile.  The shop was located in the basement with no much advertisement outside.

Upon entering the shop, you can find a row of bar counter seating plus those proper sit down seating with tables.  I was lucky to get the table for a more comfortable dining experience.  As I waited for my order to arrive, I noted these flaming hot mini ceramic plates on the table.  I'd ordered fried beef, so why would I need a BBQ plate?  That's for queuing without knowing what the shop was selling. 

When the dish arrived, it looked tantalizing.  I'd ordered the medium sized plate that came with 2 rows of beef that were fried to the crisp on the outside, plus a huge stack of shredded cabbage and a scope of mashed potato.  A bowl of miso soup (a standard in all Japanese meal) plus a couple of small plates with sauces.  Okay, now that the beef was cooked, what was I supposed to do with the hot plate?  Apparently the beef was only fried crisp on the outside and was still raw in the inside!  And customers were encouraged to grill their meat to their satisfaction!  What a novel way to eat your steak, and it was tasty and great fun at the same time!  This shop is located in Shinjuku, around 3 minutes walk from Forever 21 towards the Shinjuku Station's direction.  Shop opens daily from 11am, but to avoid long waiting times, it's advisable to start queuing from 10am.

After a full and satisfying brunch (which eventually became lunch), it was off to Tokyo station to purchase some Tokyo Banana.  This is a super soft chiffon with creamy banana filling.  No ideal why this is so popular as the locals certainly do not buy them (plus Tokyo doesn't grow bananas).  But these cakes tasted great and in nice packages, hence very popular with tourists.  Along the way, saw a store selling strawberry mochi for JPY 240 per piece.  Rather pricy, but since I was on holiday, I had to get one.  And boy was the service good!  The small mochi was inserted into a pretty pink paper bag and they included a small ice pack for extra measures!  Not that I needed one as I gobble the mochi down almost immediately!

After Tokyo station, it was back to the apartment to drop the purchases and off to Niwa No Yu onsen for yet another hotspring dip.  From Shinjuku, I took the Oedo line towards Toshimaen station, and another 8 minutes stroll to arrive at the onsen.  This was a pricy onsen, definitely more up market at over JPY 2000 per pax.  The moment I entered, I immediately regretted not having researched enough and brought my swim trunks.  There at the main lobby was a mixed gender pool and jacuzzis everywhere.  There was even an outdoor area and garden to take in the manicured landscape!  Well, I was only confined within the male onsen section.  The male section had both indoor and outdoor pools.  The indoor area consisted of a soda (carbon dioxide) hot pool, a brown spring water pool that was split into 3 sections (strong jacuzzi, darker brown at higher temperature, and the normal pool), a sauna and steam area, plus the standard cold plunge pool.  The outdoor area had the same brown pool within a rock garden setting, and 3 huge ceramic pot for individual soaking.  There were at least 3-5 Sakura trees there, and I was sure the outdoor onsen area must be popular during the blooming season.

I must have soaked for at least an hour before venturing to the other parts.  This was not like the typical Japanese onsen, but more like trying to be a Korean Jimjilbang, with full facilities such as massages, sleeping areas, a restaurant and a shop.  From level 2, I could have a bird's eye view of the mixed gender area clearly.  Well, at least I could look at it since I couldn't enter in the buff!

After onsen (and a bottle of Japanese milk), it was a walk back to Toshimaen station.  Along the way, I chanced upon a Yakitori shop Two Way Communication Yakitori.  Probably a direct translation that made not much sense in English, but the aroma certainly was tantalizing enough.  I got a few sticks including chicken wings, soft chicken bones and chicken meat etc, sat by the roadside and savour the snack. Yum!

And back to Shinjuku station via the Oedo line again.  Walked past this shop called Mr Waffle so many times over the past days and the fragrance of the freshly made waffles always tempted me.  So finally I got myself an Earl Grey flavoured waffle.  The waffle was crisped on the outside and soft on the inside, and the hint of tea was undeniable and went well with the honey glazed exterior.  So good to have something hot on a cold night!

Next up was a night walk around Shinjuku, and eventually reached this old ramen shop Hakata Tengin.  One bowl was selling as low as JPY 500!  Being greedy, I had the JPY 1000 version with all the extra toppings.  The broth was rich and thick and the pork slices very tasty (although served cold).  All in all great value from this old shop that didn't look anything much from the outside.

Hence it was another end of day in Japan, and back to sleep for the night.

Japan Day 8 - 10 Feb 2016

Rise and shine, today was another early day. A day earlier, the ticket for Nikko was purchased and now it was time to board the limited express train towards Nikko.  I went there last September during early autumn and took the normal 2.5 hours train.  This time, it was an upgrade to the SPACIA train that took 1.5 hours with assigned seats.  This was especially crucial since unless my last trip of 2 days 1 night, this round it was a day trip.  Breakfast was purchased at 7-11 nearby and it was cold soba with a fish roe side.  The scenery started with the dense built up of Tokyo city, to the residential suburb, and into farmlands and woods.  Snow scape started to take over as well. 

my express ride

my fantastic breakfast from 7-11 (it's really a store and more!!)

After an hour's ride, it was a transfer at Shimoimachi station towards Nikko station.  As the train door opened, a whisk of brisk cold air hit the face.  It was minus 4 degrees that day, and snow was evident everywhere!  

First stop: the bus stop to hop into the Heritage Bus.  The Nikko Pass includes unlimited rides on this Heritage Bus around Nikko.  After 10 minutes of bus ride, a stop was made at Stop 82.  It was a nice walk down a slope that was lined with tall trees, and I felt the same awesomeness I had 6 months ago.  Only this time, the place had turned into a winter wonderland.  At the base of the slope was the same red bridge over a gushing river gorge.  It was a magnificent view with the bridge covered with white snow and the surrounding hills now turned white.

Since this was my 2nd visit to Nikko, I decided to take another side route up to the main attractions.  This side route that was long amongst the magnificent cedars was nice and shady, with sides of thick white snow by the road.  It was a nice time 'rumbling' in the virgin snow and with no one around at all!

I visited the same temples as I did back in September 2015, and although they are the same buildings, they looked so different under a blanket of snow!  I shall let the photos do the talking here.

After the day of temple touring, it was time for lunch.  But this time, instead of taking the bus back to town, it was all on foot to explore the Nikko township better!  And was it not a great idea as the peacefulness of the township was greatly felt!  Along the way were several small establishments selling food, and I picked Maruhide Dining & Cafe.  I had the pasta with salad, plus their local speciality raw tofu skin (they call it tofu sashimi).  It was a pleasant lunch and well needed after a full day's worth of walking!

As there was still time to kill while waiting for the train to arrive, it was yet another natural stop at the town's supermarket: Lion Dor.  This is a massive mall selling items at much lower rates than Tokyo!  I got my soju here  (amongst many other items)  and lugged it back to Tokyo!!

Just before boarding the train, I had to stop by the same store which sells the crispy red bean dough for a bite.  This time it was especially nice eating it as the weather was much colder and the dough was steaming hot!

After a long and tiring ride back to Asakusa, it was a 500m walk to the nearby Snake Onsen.  This was a very small establishment with 3 pools (including one which had electricity currents pulsating in the water!!).  I did not spend too much time here, more of refreshing myself after a day's outing.

After onset, it was straight to the nearby supermarket to pick up some dinner.  It was decided that dinner will be home cooked to save cost.  Not that the ingredients were cheap.  Grade 5 premium wagyu was purchased along side a box of salmon roe plus Japanese Tang O vegetables.  And to add from 7-11, MaPo Toufu rice!

The beef was beautifully marbled, and costs only a fraction as it would in Singapore.  It was sliced thinly and evenly.  Once back at the apartment, the only thing required was to pour boiling water over the beef and you get a thick and flavourful beef broth!  Yes, nothing additional was required to add taste to the wonderful beef soup, it was really that good!

Yet another satisfying day in Japan!